Hyundai has revealed the all-new Tucson, and it looks nothing like the car in showrooms now. The fifth-generation mid-size SUV made its world debut against the Manhattan skyline, and Hyundai Australia has confirmed it arrives here in mid-2027, hybrid only, with the tougher-looking XRT on the menu.
Square, steel-inspired and bigger
Hyundai calls the new look "Art of Steel": flat, muscular fenders, crisp body lines and a full-width H-Edge light bar up front. At the back, tall Prism lamps bookend a light strip across the tailgate. Higher grades overseas get Micro Pixel headlights with 25,600 individual LEDs.
Australia takes the long-wheelbase body built in Korea. It is 4,700 mm long (up 60 mm), 1,905 mm wide (up 40 mm) and 1,685 mm tall (up 20 mm), on a 2,785 mm wheelbase. The rear doors now open to 83 degrees, 10 more than before, which matters when you are lifting a child seat in and out.
A calmer, roomier cabin
Inside, the dash is split in two: a horizontal upper layer and a deep open tray underneath. A slim 9.9-inch display sits above the steering column, paired with a 12.9-inch or 17-inch central touchscreen running Hyundai's new Pleos Connect system on Android Automotive. Proper buttons stay for the climate and audio, and the gear selector moves to a stalk on the steering column, which frees up the centre console.
Rear legroom is 1,064 mm and front headroom 1,036 mm. Available extras include dual 15 W wireless chargers, 100 W USB-C ports in the seat backs, three-zone climate, massaging front seats and a passenger seat that reclines at the push of a button for breaks when parked. Hyundai quotes 1,067 litres of cargo space on the US SAE measure.
Hybrid only for Australia
Hyundai Australia says the new Tucson will be sold here with a hybrid powertrain only. Globally the hybrid pairs a 1.6 litre turbo engine with two electric motors and a six-speed auto, and Hyundai claims a 0 to 60 mph time of 8.5 seconds. A new Stay Mode runs the air conditioning, heating and audio with the engine off while you wait. Local power, fuel use and towing figures have not been announced. The plug-in hybrid and the 1.6 turbo petrol shown overseas are not confirmed for Australia.
XRT confirmed, XRT PRO not
The rugged XRT, with wider front cladding, chunkier wheel-arch mouldings and a bolder skid plate, is confirmed for Australia. The XRT PRO, with all-terrain tyres, 210 mm of ground clearance and recovery hooks, is North America only. The new Tucson also brings Hyundai's first Smart Terrain Assist, which rates how stuck you are getting with a green, orange or red score, plus low-speed Target Speed Control from 2 to 25 km/h.
What it means for buyers
The current Hyundai Tucson stays on sale until the new one lands, from $38,100 plus on-road costs, with the hybrid from $42,600. If you are shopping now, expect sharper deals on the outgoing car through the first half of 2027. If you can wait, the new one brings a much bigger, more modern cabin, and it will go head to head with the Toyota RAV4 and Kia Sportage. Australian pricing and specs will be confirmed closer to launch.
